Mass Whale Stranding Proven to Be Caused by Sonar

September 26, 2013 10:31 AM

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A report released yesterday by a panel of scientists, conservation organizations and government agencies have positively linked a mass stranding of whales to sonar used by Exxon/Mobile during an offshore survey. In this case, the whales fled the area prior to the seismic phase of the survey, which shows that even this type of sonar (also used by military and research vessels) is devastating to whale and dolphins.

While not conclusively proven, NOAA acknowledged a correlation with sonar in a similar mass stranding of melon-headed whales occurred in Hanalei Bay, Kauai, Hawaii in 2004. At the time of the stranding, the Navy was conducting exercises involving loud sonar in the area. "Sound propagation models sug...